Collapsible combination screen and table



April 17, 1951 R. E. Ross 2,549,242

COLLAPSIBLE COMBINATION SCREEN A ND TABLE Filed Sept. 3, 1948 l 2 sheets-sheet 1 ,'50 folz 40 46 59 INVENTOR Q8 RONALD E. R055 SKLQQ`% ATTOR Y April 17, 1951 R. E. Ross 2,549,242

coLLAPsIBLE COMBINATION SCREEN AND TABLE Filed sept. s, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RONALD E* Ross Y ATTORNEY Patented Apr. I7, 1951 COLLAPSBLE COMBINATION SCREEN AND TABLE Ronald E. Ross, Long Island City, N. Y. Application September 3, 1948, Serial No. 47,619

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination screen and table structure. More particularly, the invention deals with an article of furniture of the character described wherein a screen having a series of hinged or folded sections can be quickly and easily converted into a table, the top of which may comprise the area of, or part of the screen sections.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig'. 1 is a perspective view of a screen made ac corcling to my invention, in set-up condition.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the table formed from the screen, shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the screen showing a covering completely removed on one section and partly removed on the other section, with leg and brace members in collapsed position in the screen section.

Fig. 4 is a perspective detailed View of one corner portion of the table when in set-up condition.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another corner portion of the table as in set-up condition.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line fdl-t of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 4, with a part in a diiferent position.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with part of the construction broken away and showing a modification; and

Fig. 9 is an end view of a table formed from the screen, as seen in Fig. 8.

In homes or dwellings where space is an important and limited factor, difliculty has been eX- perienced for providing a utility or service table which can be used for any desired purpose. In satisfying this much needed want, I have provided, as part of a screen construction, means for converting a screen into a table, whereby the article of furniture can be utilized in the home as a screen, thus providing a useful article, or the screen can be compactly folded and stored away in a relatively small space.

In Figs. l to 3 inclusive, I have shown one form of screen table construction. This structure comprises two substantially similar end screen sections Iii and II, and an intermediate section I2. The end sections Il] and II are hingedly coupled to the intermediate section I2, as indicated, for example, at I3.

The intermediate section co1m-` prises a rectangular frame I4 covered in any suitable manner on both surfaces and braced centrally by a brace member I 5. The sections IIJ and II also comprise rectangular frames I 6 and I'I, respectively. The frames I6 and I'I will also have iacings, but the facings on one side of these frames will be detachable by the provision of suitable snap fastener devices on the frames, as indicated at I 8 and I9, respectively. Part of the facing of the frame I'I is shown at 2B, in Fig. 3, whereas the facing of the frame IS is removed in said figure. Y

In that each frame IIJ and I I is of the same construction, the further detailed description of the frame with respect to leg members, braces and reinforcements will be described on the frame I0 and prime reference characters will be used on the frame II.

At the ends of the frame I0 are sheet metal re inforcing plates 2 l-22 having an upstanding bearing portion 23-24 with which leg members 25-26 are pivoted by a pivot pin 21-23, which extends through the frame I6. The leg members lie iiush within the frame in the collapsed position. as seen in Fig. 3. Hinged to the pivot end portions of the plates 2l and 22 are substantially triangular corner braces 29 and 30. This; hinged construction is clearly shown, for example, in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The braces 29 and 30 have hook-shaped or L-shaped cleats 3l and 32 which are adapted to enter sockets 33 and 34 in the leg members, as clearly seen in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawing.

Hinged to the pivot end or one of the leg members, the leg member 25 in the frame I6, is a transverse brace bar 35, the hinged connection being seen at 35. On the frame Il, the corresponding bar i5 is hinged to the leg member 26. as seen at 3S. At the free end of each brace bar 35-35 is an L-shaped cleat 3I-3I which is adapted to enter a socket 33-38 of an opposed leg member, for example, the leg member 26 in the frame I6 and the leg member 25 in the frame Il. Pivoted to the leg members 26-25 respectively, are retaining straps or latches 39-39, one of which is clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 'T of the drawing.

Centrally of the frames I5 and I1 is a transverse channelled reinforcing plate til-Ml for bracing the central portions of these frames and also to form supports upon which the collapsed legs and brace members are free to rest.

When it is desired to convert the screen to a table, as shown in Fig. 2, the detachable facings,

as for example, the facing 2B on the frame il, are removed, thus exposing one side of both frames I6 and il. Then the legs 25-25 and ZB-ZB are swung into their operative position. The corner braces 25E-3i] and ESV-30 are moved into the position shown in Fig. 4, after which the brace bars 'd5-35 are swung downwardly and inwardly to provide Vthe coupling engagement between the cleats ill-3i and the sockets of the opposed leg members, after which the latches 39-39 are swung into operative position and the table is now set-up and ready for use. It will be understood that the cross-braces 35-35 maintain and support the three sections of the screen in the table set-up position, as seen in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing, I have shown a slight modification in which three screen seotionsrit', il and l2' are employed, the screens H5 and i2 being, generally speaking, identical with the sections iii and l2, except for the differences later described. Whereas the section Il' differs from the section il in the positioning of the leg members and braces in the frame. In other words, instead of being disposed on the outer edge portion of the section il', the leg members are disposed adjacent the inner hinged side of the frame and with thissection, the detachable facing is disposed on a reverse side of the section so that the three sections i0', Il and I2' can be collapsed to form a long, narrow table, in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawing.

Aside from positioning of the leg members and brace members, the structure of Figs. 8 and 9 is the same, except that the brace members lil-lil are substituted for the brace members 35i-35 and differ therefrom to the extent of having recesses @2432 formed therein to receive the inwardly folded screen `section Il', as will clearly appear from a consideration of Fig. 9 of the drawing. tailed description of the structure shown in Figs. 8 vand Q will be given, as the parts are duplicates of the structure, as specifically described in connection with the showing in Figs. l to 3 inclusive. The structure shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 is applicable to the screen section I0', as well as the screen section iS', aside from the notching, or recessingof the brace members ll-4i.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that my improved article of furniture may be quickly converted from a screen to a table and vice versa and, by reason of the structure employed, a strong and durable table is employed and the facings on the upper surface of the table, as seen in Fig. 2, and upper surfaces of the sections lil and I2' as seen in Fig. 9, may be made of any suitable material to give the desired support and surface finish.

plurality of hinged and collapsibly related rectangular sections` of common size, end sections having, within boundaries thereof, leg members, means pivoting the leg members to outer corners of at least one of said end sections to swing into la position perpendicuiarly thereof, means for bracing each leg member when in extended position, means comprising a bar collapsible within each end section and movably coupled with a leg member in the section for bracing said leg member of said section with a leg member of an For this reason, no further de-V opposed end section, means retaining said bars in operative bracing position, and means for reinforcing said sections where the legs are pivoted thereto.

2. A combination screen table device of the character described, said device comprising a plurality of hinged and collapsibly related rectangular sections of common size, end sections having, within boundaries thereof, leg members, means pivoting the leg members to outer corners of at ieast one of said end sections to swing into a position perpendicularly thereof, means for bracing each leg member when in extended position, means comprising a bar collapsible within each end section and movably coupled with a leg member inthe section for bracing said leg member of said section with a leg member of an opposed end section, means retaining said bars in operative bracing position, means for reinforcing said sections where the legs are pivoted thereto,

`and means for reinforcingthe center portion of each section.

'3. A combination screen table device of the character described, said device comprising a -plurality of hinged and collapsibly relatedrectangular sections of common size, end section having, within boundaries thereof, leg members, means pivoting the leg members to outer corners of at least one of said end sections to swing into a position perpendicularly thereof, means for bracing cach ieg member when in extended position, means comprising a bar collapsible within each end section and movably coupled with a leg member in the section for bracing said leg member of said section with a leg member of an opposed end section, means retaining said bars in operative bracing position, and the pivot of said leg members in both end sections being'disposed at outer corner portions of both of Vsaid sections.

A combination screen table device of the character described, said device comprising a plurality of hinged and collapsibly related rectangular sections of commonl size, end sections having, within boundaries thereof, leg members, means pivoting the leg members to outer corners of at least one of said end sections to swing into a position perpendicularly thereof, means for bracing each leg member when in extended position, means comprising a bar collapsible within each end section and movably coupled with a leg member in the section for bracing said leg member of said section with a leg member of an opposed end section, means retaining said bars in operative bracing position, the pivots of the leg members in one section being disposed at outer corner portions thereof, and the pivots of the leg members in the other section being disposed at inner corner portions thereof.

5. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a plurality of elongated rectangular sections hinged to form a Yscreen-like body, said sections being of the same length and width, a pair of leg members pivotally mounted in corner portions of each of two of said sections,

leg members being normally collapsed within the boundaries of the sections, a corner brace collapsible within the section for bracing each leg member, a transverse brace element hingedly couple-d with one leg member on each of said two sections and collapsible within said sections, said eiement being adapted to extend between and secured to a leg member of opposed leg sections, means reinforcing that part of each section with which the legr members are pivoted, and said cor- The following references are of record in the 111e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 290,932 Richardson Dec. 25, 1883 411,366

Allen Sept. 17, 1889 Number 6 Name Date Crumpton Apr. 25, 1911 Horner Oct. 8, 1912 Keier .June 3, 1919 Foss Sept. 8, 1925 Basford Dec. 29, 1925 Davis July 5, 1927 Schuldt Sept. 10, 1929 Null Apr. 25, 1933 Culp et al Apr. 10, 1934 Craighead Nov. 22, 1938 

